LE SSERAFIM’s Kim Chae-won says she and Miyawaki Sakura were “never close” in IZ*ONE

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau ChiefKore-eda Hirokazu, director of the well-received Cannes competition film “Broker” says his diverse and lonely characters constitute a family of choice.“This film tells the story of a family which came together by choice. Each character had been rejected. They set off on a car journey, as if by accident.

Japanese Breakfast will feature as a musical guest on the Apple TV+ show Helpsters.From the makers of Sesame Street, Helpsters is a children’s show about a group of monsters who work together to solve the problems of customers in their shop. The first season launched alongside Apple TV+ in 2019, with the third season set to debut on Friday (May 27).Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner performs a track with Cody and her friends in the third season.

When the 2003 historical adventure “The Last Samurai” was released, the film was hit by criticism that star Tom Cruise was perpetuating “white savior” stereotypes in his role as an American soldier leading an army of Japanese warriors.

By Minha Kim was surprised, quite literally, when she learned she landed the lead role in the Apple TV+ series —a role that would ultimately change her life. Kim was out to dinner in Seoul with a casting director and assumed the meal was to celebrate her upcoming birthday. “We were just chatting, and then suddenly she ordered champagne and told me that I got the role.

Yumi Nu didn’t know what to do with herself after she learned that she made the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. The model and recording artist made a splash this year alongside Kim Kardashian, Maye Musk and Ciara as the latest cover girls. "I could not speak," the 25-year-old told the New York Post on Monday following the announcement.

Singer Tina Karol said Monday from Japan that she and her fellow Ukrainians will not give up defending their land and culture from Russian invasion and are determined to win the war and rebuild an even more beautiful country.

Mark Schilling Japan CorrespondentJapan’s Tokyo Broadcasting System network is partnering with Naver Webtoon, South Korea’s leading digital comics platform, and Tokyo-based manga production house Shine Partners to launch a new webtoon company. Called Studio TooN and based in South Korea, the joint venture will plan and make webtoons with Japanese and Korean creators for the global market. One of TBS’s aim in launching the company, its first such venture in Korea, is to produce TV dramas, anime and other content from the webtoons.  Studio TooN will begin operations in June of this year with Shine Partners president Keita Iwamoto serving as CEO.     “When webtoon works are visualized, there is a synergy effect as the number of readers increases,” said Naver Webtoon CEO Kim Junkoo.

Japan that she and her fellow Ukrainians will not give up defending their land and culture from Russian invasion and are determined to win the war and rebuild an even more beautiful country.“My weapon is language and music,” Karol said in Tokyo as she concluded a weeklong visit to rally support for Ukraine. “My words are strong and my music moves emotions.”“The biggest tragedy today is the deaths of children.

Selome Hailu Natasha Lyonne is set to host the season finale of “Saturday Night Live” on May 21 with Japanese Breakfast performing as the musical guest.The episode will mark the “Saturday Night Live” debut for Lyonne, who is the co-creator, executive producer, director and star of the comedy-drama series “Russian Doll,” which debuted its second season on Netflix on April 20. Season 1 follows Nadia (Lyonne) as she mysteriously finds herself stuck in a time loop and must find her way out with the help of a stranger named Alan (Charlie Barnett) who she realizes in the same situation.

Tatted up. Kanye West’s girlfriend Chaney Jones got a tattoo of her boyfriend’s name on her wrist. Chaney, who was first linked to Kanye in February 2022, posted a photo of herself on her Instagram Story on May 12, 2022, where fans could see a small tattoo of Kanye’s nickname, “Ye,” inked on her wrist.

Kim Kardashian has been put through the ringer by Kanye West recently regarding her fashion choices.

Korea’s CJ ENM and its production subsidiary Studio Dragon, along with Naver Webtoon’s affiliated company Line Digital Frontier are partnering on a Japan-based joint venture under the tentative name Studio Dragon Japan. The new production studio will be established in the first half of this year, with 30 billion won ($23 million) invested by the three entities.

LE SSERAFIM member Sakura has spoken up about her support for the LGBTQ community and why she does it.During a recent interview with Weverse Magazine, the Japanese K-pop idol discussed a column she had previously written in 2017 about the Japanese drama film Close-knit, in which she had voiced her support for the LGBTQ community.The 2017 movie follows a young girl who is taken in by her uncle and his transgender girlfriend after her mother abandons her. In her review of the film, Sakura had advocated for developing a “better understanding of the LGBTQ community”.In the interview, Sakura spoke about how “there was actually an atmosphere of caution around idols speaking their minds around that time”, yet she though that she “could say that anyway”.She went on to explain that she wanted to use her platform as a celebrity to influence others.

HYBE girl group LE SSERAFIM have set a new first-week sales record with their debut mini-album ‘Fearless’.Today (May 9), Source Music announced that the six member group – comprising Kim Chae-won, Miyawaki Sakura, Huh Yun-jin, Kazuha, Kim Ga-ram and Hong Eun-chae – sold 307,450 copies of their debut record ‘Fearless’ in its first week.LE SSERAFIM are now sixth girl group to ever surpass 300,000 album sales within a week of release, a feat previously achieved by acts such as BLACKPINK, Red Velvet and IZ*ONE. According to the agency, this also makes ‘Fearless’ the highest-selling debut release of by a South Korean girl group of all time.‘Fearless’, which arrived last week, is led by the single of the same title.

Kanye West has been very vocal in the recent past about wanting to be involved with his childrens’ lives even after his divorce from reality TV star Kim Kardashian.

Kanye West has popped up in Japan with girlfriend Chaney Jones after his high-profile feud with Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson. The rapper, 44, was embroiled in public drama with ex Kim, 41, and her boyfriend, Saturday Night Live star Pete, 28 but has taken a step back from the limelight in recent weeks. Kanye had reportedly promised Kim he would stop the public feud after posting a string of rants against the comedian and even featured his cartoon likeliness being decapitated in his music video.